The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-02-23
A.pELICT0US SURPRISE.

wfsely in other words, with expectations
land consequently ! was good for Moth
ing else but to keep on expecting.
spent many years as walking ger
tleman OF society In London, and many
more in wandering to and fro upon the
Continent; but at length, when actually
within hail of forty, found myself with
my logs once more under The mahogany
of the Atheneun. and withnothingto pay
for tile good things above II but what
came out OF the pockets of d tough and
somewhat peremptory old man.
Has had never before insisted upon
my marrying but tho reason was that
be had remained In constaat expeeta-
ton Of the occurrence taking place
through my own conpivanee. Indeed,
i Ind been his business ~ many years
to iiltepuse gently between me and
ths catastrophe, suggesting now that
did not know enough OF the lady,
and again that knew too Inuehs and
Il lle fact Is, I had never been with
III exsectations of taking o wife.
ynlaEptarily abandoned, until my
first ssS ~ faT fs speared
After that tho difIiculty WINS ON the
side az tho lady; andxI WAS at length
so much disgusted hykhe unreasonable
ness OF the sex that Izdetermiiied TO live
and die bachelor.
Just at this time / received from my
uncle letter which was short and to the
purpose.
DEAR NEPHEW: | am glad to hear OF
what you call the vacancy in your heart
as YOU will thus have no difficulty In full
filling my wishes and obeylng my solemn
iajagoiioas You have promised several
times to marry, and you must now do so.
bsSa never interfered with your choice,
and You are not to Interfere with mine.
+" l'he widow and heiress ofmy old COM
rade ,ser3on Is In themarket. Our estates
run into each other In such way that
you might comprise them both in the
same RIG fence. She is a healthy woman,
aud not 100 young and the arrangement
is that YOU are to be married at the end
Of her year Of mourning, II she can fancy
you. Yours aifectionately,
"JoHN MUReHIsoN.
II she could fancy mel The widow of
old Gordon, and healthy woman indeed /
What horrible description
There was no help for it. TWAS neces-
sary to turn my meditation from the lady
to The estate, and, II | thought of the ring
at all, to fancy 1t within ring fence.
But the affair could not be slept over
any longer, and set out for my uncle's
seat, having previously signiiied to him
my full acquiescence in his plans. In
due time / arrived at the little town of
Sethan, distant only few miles from my
destination.
II was here I heard-and with cruel
sn idenness---of a circumstance connected
with my Intended which made me ut first
determine to rush back to London, and,
Ii neeess ary, take to street-sweeping,
authorship, or any other desperate re,
source, rather than marry that Mrs. Cor
don.
Twas passing half-opened door in the
hotel when | heard female voice ad
dressing n child in the terms OF wise en-
dearment eonseerated to the rising gener
etion.
1t shall go, said tho voice, "and SC
It shall. TO its own gran--g ranny-gra
nyma--to its own--own grannyma, thai
it shall, SO il shall--won't TITO It's owl
Grannyma Gordon"
The next minute in reply to my hurried
questions, my fears were confirmed by
the landlord. AiY lnt@lled old and
healthy bride was an 0bsolnte grand
mother Grandmother Gordonl
l had intended TO go Mt once to my
My agitated mind needed repose. A
nights reflections were necessary to arm
mo with sufficient philosophy TO meet the
destroyer Of my peace, and, engaging
bed at the inn, / went out TO walk in
the nelghboring wood.
The locality was not chosen without a
motive, for l knew that from the summit
of o low NIL O milo distant should OBJ
tain o view OF Sethan Court, and l felt
that, IL nything could reconcile me TO
the idea of the healthy cid widow, It
would be the spectacle OF her castellated
mansion seated in park which was
very paradise of beauty.
Every step I advanced rec0nciled me
more and more to the old lady, and, when
saw the indications of trout in the
stream, through the trees, / was more
than ever intent.
But just at that moment a sound broke
upon my ears, which conjured up recent
associations; 1t was the cry
OF child.
My thoughts at once turned to hale.
hearty, long-llylng grandmotherllood.
Visions of canes and snuff-bpxes rose he
fore my eyes, everlasting coughs rattlel
in my ears, and, worse than all, the
chances OF matrimonial lovef from the eyes
How different was the scene that met
my eyes rs ! turned the cornerof II clump
of trees Tho infant I had beard was
lying on It's back on a grass knoll, fight
ing up With its little cienched fists, and
growing, as tho nursemaids call It, with
all its might, while bending over it, with
eyes brimful of love and laughter poking
its tiny ribs with her fingers snatehing
wild kisses from its brow, aud Selling its
neck with her lips asif she would throttle
1t, knelt q young woman--and such
young woman Ia woman In the very
prime and glory of her years.
| did not think she could have been
quite thirty. Her bonnet was lying ON
the grass, and her disheveled hair floating
In dark masses over her shoulders; but a
bright radiance was on her queenly brow,
Just as O voice OF peremptory command
was heard In her light, joyous laugh.
There was O fearless self-possession In
her manner, such as years superadd to
the feminine softness Of youth, and her
features, originally nodded in wax, were
now as firm, yet as exquisitely fine, as II
they had been cut in seml-trensparent
marble.
The infant suddenly rolled down the
knoll, growing as it went, and the lady
stretched after it In vain as she knelt
Till she measured her whole length upon
the sod. Before she could get up had
sprung from my ambush, caught up the
truant, as It lay half smothered in the
daisies and the buttercups, and presented
the prize to the flushed and startled
mother.
TO describe the conversation Of such
fascinating woman is impossible.
She was not woman of society yet
she was perfectly weli-bred. She had
spent The greater part of her lie in the
country, inyigorating both mind and
body in tho pure air OF heaven, visiting
town occasionally, and thus she was
enabled, with the assistance OF books and
the general literature Of the day TO keep
pace with the progress of the world.
do not know how it was, but our ac-
quaintance seemed to be ready-made,
and, having mentioned my uncle's name,
she had no difficulty presently in remem'
bering his respectable friend, Mrs. Cor.
don.
You know Mrs, Gordon?" said I.
"Yes."
"Whatl Grandmother Gordon?"
eyes"
Chow do you like the indiyidual2"
~ sympathize with her, for /, too"
ell. el,r l. Il